Providing an advisory to a user of a processing system

• US 8,732,249 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Goodman, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NANO, SARGON N
• Application Number:
  US10/157,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,374 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/206, 709/207, 709/219, 709/213, 709/214, 709/215, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

There is provided a method for providing an advisory to a user of a processing system. The method includes detecting an occurrence of a term in an input to the processing system provided by the user, and providing a reminder for the user to perform an action if the term occurred. The method is particularly well suited for reminding a user to include an attachment with an email message.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting an occurrence of a term in an input to a processing system having a processor, a memory, and at least one input/output device, said memory having an application executed by said processor, said input being received using said at least one input/output device into the memory for use by said processor and comprising an electronic message to be sent;

determining using said processing system whether an attachment to said message is present and, if present, detecting a type of said attachment from said term detected in said input before said electronic message is sent; and

searching using said processing system for a potential error based on said type and said term.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an indication using said at least one input/output device to a user of said potential error.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a second indication to said user using said input/output device that no attachment is associated with said electronic message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

offering to assist said user using said input/output device in correcting said potential error.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining using said processing system whether said term indicates that an attachment should be associated with said electronic message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a user defines at least one of said term and said type.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said input into said at least one input/output device further comprises an audio voice signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said input into said at least one input/output device further comprises a salutation of said electronic message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking behavior of a user; and

determining from said behavior, a probability of said user attaching said type of said attachment if said user inputs said term into said at least one input/output device,

wherein an indication is provided if said probability is greater than a threshold value.

10. A method, comprising:

detecting an occurrence of a term in an input to a processing system having a processor, a memory, and at least one input/output device, said memory having an application executed by said processor, said input being received using said at least one input/output device into said memory for use by said processor and comprising an electronic message;

recognizing using said processing system said term to be associated with a file type;

determining using said processing system whether an attachment to said message is present and, if present, detecting a file type of said attachment before performing further processing of said input; and

searching using said processing system for a potential error based on said file type of said attachment and said file type associated with said term.

11. A system, comprising:

a device having a processor, a memory, and at least one input/output mechanism and configured to;

detect an occurrence of a term in an input into said at least one input/output mechanism, the input comprising an electronic message to be sent;

determine whether an attachment to said message is present and, if present, detect a type of said attachment from said term detected in said input before said electronic message is sent; and

search for a potential error based on said type and said term.

12. The system of claim 11, the device further configured to provide an indication using said at least one input/output device to a user of said potential error.

13. The system of claim 12, the device further configured to provide a second indication to said user using said input/output device that no attachment is associated with said electronic message.

14. The system of claim 11, the device further configured to offer to assist said user using the input/output device in correcting said potential error.

15. The system of claim 11, the device further configured to determine whether said term indicates that an attachment should be associated with said electronic message.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein a user defines at least one of said term and said type.

17. The system method of claim 11, wherein said input into said at least one input/output mechanism further comprises an audio voice signal.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said input into said at least one input/output mechanism further comprises a salutation of said electronic message.

19. The system of claim 11, the device further configured to:

track behavior of a user; and

determine from said behavior, a probability of said user attaching said type of said attachment if said user inputs said term into said at least one input/output device,

wherein an indication is provided if said probability is greater than a threshold value.